Field trips

I do not remember many field trips growing up, but I sure remember plenty of them with my 4 children. It seemed like I was on one once a month with one of my children. 

Field trips are great! They are visual, hands on learning experiences for me, which has always been more of my learning curve. 

I grew up with an older brother so I learned a lot about how to do things and what not to do a few times, from watching. Sometimes that is best, but there are some things, even if painful, we can learn on a field trip that we cannot learn in the classroom. 

I have watched while a few people that I love have gone on a field trip and I remember the field trips of life God has taken me on. We can learn many lessons from them if we will, lessons that teach us a lot about others and ourselves. 

Some field trip life lessons we can learn...

We can learn so much about leadership not only from good leaders, but also from bad ones. We can learn how to do certain tasks and how to motivate others. We can also learn what not to do to better our own leadership abilities. Leaders who lead from insecurity and fail to listen to others is a disaster waiting to happen. Good leaders are coachable and they listen well. We can learn a lot on a field trip about listening to those who know more and who find their security in Christ. 

Field trips can also teach us how to treat people. When we fail to place value on others by showing respect and just plain ole being nice, because "I'm the one in charge", we will find ourselves looking behind us and no one is there. People will not follow those leaders for long because they rarely change. Therefore, you are not really a leader at all. It is really not that hard to be nice. Ok. Sometimes it is.  Sometimes we have to dig deep to be nice in certain situations and to certain people. But the Holy Spirit enables us when we ask. I have had to ask a few times. Haven't we all?! But it is seriously hard to respect someone who really just is not a nice person. Or it is for me. Personally, I like nice leaders, nice people. We learn a lot on a field trip watching how others treat people. 

No matter the type of venue we find ourselves leading, if we are going to call ourselves Christian, then ethics and morality matter. Because as Christian leaders, wherever we are, it is our ministry. "That is just business" is an unacceptable slogan! Treat people right. Pay bills. Keep promises. Stop lying. Speak truth. Work hard.  Character DOES matter. God won't let his kids get away with cutting corners. He also will not stand by when His kids are mistreated. We can learn a lot on a field trip observing how others do the daily tasks that matter. 

One of things I find myself telling myself a lot is "PEOPLE OVER PROJECTS", "PEOPLE OVER STUFF". 

Jesus always put people over everything. Look at the way Jesus led, the way he treated people, the way he conducted himself every day as he walked on the earth. 

I can imagine how Jesus treated people as they stopped by the carpenter shop. I can imagine how he talked to people and took time for them as they sat in the carpenter shop for a cup of water (or coffee). I am pretty sure he never pestered them to buy so he could "keep the doors open". I am pretty sure he never made them feel like they were just a way for him to make money off of the things he built. I am certain with everyone that walked in his shop, they never walked out feeling less than valued and heard. I am certain they all felt loved and like they contributed in some way. I am certain they would all say they were better for having gone in that carpentry shop and having a conversation with Jesus.